Action photos and Daryl Powell reaction as Wakefield Trinity deliver ‘fitting’ ending on ‘emotional’ day at Belle Vue

The entertaining contest - which Trin sensationally won 26-24 - was played out amidst the immensely sad backdrop of the rugby league family uniting together to remember Wakefield’s former boss John Kear, who heartbreakingly passed away last Sunday.

“I think John would have liked that,” Powell said in his post-match press conference. “To win it in the way we did was probably fitting of the day as a whole.”

A poignant minute’s silence was held for Kear, who led Wakefield for 153 games over a six-year period, before a game which featured nine tries, including that last-ditch winning score from Lino, two players sent to the sin-bin, and two players shown a straight red card.

“It was a crazy game,” admitted Powell. “The first half was mad and I thought the referee lost his cool. The game was carnage at one point.

“There were a couple of decisions I couldn’t quite get my head round. The one where we put them into touch, we never stopped moving and I don’t think it was too far, and they scored off the back of that.

“Then the second half was mental, we didn’t handle it really well until the back end. It was class execution at the end (from Lino).”

He added: “It shows a lot of composure from the boys. It’s easy to try and force that. The play was really good and we have learned lessons from Wigan at home where we should have won that cup game when we had opportunities.

“It is great when a team learns valuable lessons.”

On the red card decisions, Powell said: “The first one, for Matty Storton, it looks like a video ref call. It’s not a sending off for me. I think the swinging arm probably is.

“I’ll have to have a look back in more detail, especially the Matty Storton one because he doesn’t appear to me that he strikes him in the head. I can’t understand that. I don’t think people are getting sent off for them. That was surprising.

“Thankfully for us we managed to win the game. It was a big game for us, an emotional day and we managed to pull something out at the end.

“I am really pleased as we were good enough to win it. It’s great for us.”

Our photographer John Clifton was there for the Wakefield Express. Take a look through his pictures here.